Brassiere



Oct. 12, 1948. I. SPEISER 2,451,001

NOW BY MARRIAGE I L. I. LASH BRASSIERE Filed Dec. 11, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l 150/) I 8 51.95, New flrMnfifi/mz, 1:00 I. (4.50,

L. l. SPEISER NOW BY MARRIAGE- L. I. LASH BRASSIERE Oct. 12,

4 Sheets-Shee t 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1944 Oct. 12, 1948.

L. l. SPEISER NOW BY MARRIAGE L. l. LASH BRASSIERE Filed Dec. 11, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 being understood that various changes in the Patented Oct. 12, 1948 ATENT awFFlCE I BRASSIERE Leda I. Speiser, Chicago,

111., now by marriage Leda I. Lash 7 Application December 11, 1944, Serial No. 567,567

7 8 Claims.

My invention relates to brassieres.

This invention has for one of its objects the provision of a new and improved garment capable of containing the breasts without the necessity of support from the shoulders.

Another object is to provide a brassiere in which the body encircling element is an integral strip of material cut and folded to conform t the body contour.

Another object is to provide, a brassiere in which the breast encircling element is an integral strip of material cut and folded to conform to the breast contour.

Another object is to provide a brassiere in which each breast element is constructed to conform to the size of the breast and attached to the body encircling element so that it contains the breast in its natural position comfortably and presents a pleasing appearance.

A further object is to provide a brassiere in which the construction takes into account the bony framework of the body and certain natural tendencies.

There are other features residing in elemental combinations and particular construction of parts, all as will hereinafter more fully appear. The brassiere is especially designed for the pendulous breast, but is adaptable to the small firm breast. It is understood that the invention is equally applicable to girdles, one-piece garments and analogous garments and that the body en-' circling element is applicableto bathing suits, sunsuits, sleeveless dresses, dancing costumes, princess slips, and analogous garments.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto,-it

form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which my invention is shown,

Figure l is a perspective View of the complete brassiere as it appears when worn;

Fig. 2 is a front view showing one side of the brassiere formed and the other side showing the blank portion from which it is formed;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the rear side of the brassiere laid out fiat;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which one of the breast pockets is formed;

Fig.5 is a vertical medial section showing the brassire in position on the wearer;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 14 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8-8" of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a strap connection;

Fig, 10 is a rear elevational view showing another form of pocket element;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a blank used in making a modified form;

Fig. 13 is a plan view showingthe blank partially folded;

Fig. 14 is a view showing a further stage in the folding of the blank; I

Fig. 15 is a view showing the blank completely folded and stitched;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a blank used in making a further modification; and

Fig. 17 is a view showing the blank folded and stitched.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the construction shown comprises a body encircling portion A to which the breast pockets B are secured. The body encircling element (Fig. 1) fastens in the back at 4 and comprises three girdle members, a lower member I encircling the waist and extending underneath the pendulous part of the breasts, an upper member 2 encircling the chest above the breasts, and a middle member 3 extending over the breasts. The lower girdle member is considerably wider than the upper and middle girdle members 2 and 3. The lower girdle portion extends around the body underneath the breasts and fastens in the back. It forms a support for the breast receiving pocket elements B. The upper girdle member extends around the body above the breasts and fastens in the back. The upper edges of the elements Bare secured to this upper girdle member. The middle girdle member extends across the upper portion of the breasts and thence extends around the body and fastens in the back.

The waist member! is the basic support of the garment and serves as the supporting attachment for the breast pockets B secured thereto along the lines 5. It encircles the bony framework of the body its entire length making a taut fastening possible and, because of the uniform shape of the 3 body at this point, tends to remain in position. The tendency of a garment at this point is to be pushed upward by breathing. This upward push operates against the downward pull at 56. (Fig.

The chest member 2 encircles the bony framework along its entire length and may be securely fastened. It serves as a means of attachment for the upper edge of the breast receiving elements B. This member has a tendency to slip downward but at the point where it crosses the chest, the breast begins a convex curve and this downward movement is retarded.

The middle member 3 extends transversely across the breasts. It follows the inner contour of each breast, passes over and continues rearwardly, fastening independently at the back. The straps 3a and 3b of this member are free of any attach ment to the members i' and 2 and the elements B throughouttheir entirelength. It gives shape and direction to the breast and relieves the breast element from stra'm on the parts adjacent the straps. Thependulous breast tends to shift back and forthv slightly in a lateral direction. This natural'tendency is. accommodated by the gentle pressure. exerted by the middle member 3' in its transverse direction.

3i illustrateshow the central or middle portion of the body encircling portion A is formed. The formation of the girdle members i, 2 and 3 leaves an uncut upward projection portion D.-.E-..F-G frusto-triangular in shape, the base GF being an integral part. of the, lower memher I. and. the upper part D-E being an. integral part of the. upper member 2. This uncut portion D--E-F-G superimposes the triangular area intermediate the breasts and provides support for the attachment of the proximal edges of the breast receiving pocket B.

In prevailing brassieres, the lateral shifting of the breasts is offset. by pullin them upward and forward to fit into cups of predetermined shape and.- size. after the garment is fastened. This practice is to create the illusion of a. larger and more pointed. breast and has only its. aesthetic effect to recommend it. This unnatural position of thebreasts producesadded strain to the shoulders and. causes discomfort under the arm from the reverse pull. In this brassie're, this lateral shifting is taken into. account by providing amplev space in the underarm portion of the breast element B. Further, it is secured to the. waist member I. by a horizontal seam 5. Itisattached to the. chest member 2 by a horizontal seam 5a. This mode of attachmentleaves the-distal portion of the breast element relatively free. It permits the breast its natural position and providesadded comfort under the arm and a feeling of security from the pressure of several thicknesses of cloth. The construction of the. breast receiving pocket exerts a minimum amount of pressure on the breast and the absence of an upward pull by a shoulder strap. further minimizes this pressure.

The breast receiving element B ispartially self sustaining by its-shape and construction. To provide for lateral. movement, the element is spheroidal in shape and the portion of greatest strength andthickness ismade tocoincide with. the region of greatest weight and. thickness. Because. the element holds the breast in its natural state without changing the position or shape, there is no resistant force to overcome and it tends to remain in place.

As shown in Fig. 2 and'as will be described more fully hereinafter, all three of the girdle portions are of a single integral fabric folded so that they will extend in the desired direction. The fabric is slitted as indicated at 6, l and 9 in Fig. 2 to provide the girdle members I, 2 and 3, and the upper one of the strips thus formed is folded down about the dotted line 8 in Fig, 2 to form the double thickness. The slitting at I and 9 terminates at the points D, E, F and G, leaving an uncut portion frusto-conical in shape. In order to provide some adjustment for this member, a flap Ila is slit-at the midline and the cut edges are finished with laced fastenings or other suitable fastenings lea, and the flap thus formed is brought down and attached back of the intermediate portion DEF-G. This lowers the medial front line ofthe upper girdle member and improves its appearance. The lower girdle member may have its lower edge folded upwardly about the line It! to form a hem H or a double thickness. This slitting at 'l' and 9 for the upper and lower girdle portion leaves an intermediate strip which is used in forming the intermediate strap or girdle members 3. In forming this girdle member 3, the upper and lower edges may be folded over to provide hems l2 and [3 (Fig. 2). The medial front portion of this intermediate strip is successively pleated or folded along the lines i l-l5, l4-l6, Iii-17, and [1-14, as. shown somewhat in detail in Fig. 9 to bringthe strap 3 successively to the position shown at 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, and the pleats are stitched along the line l'l-l5 to arrange it so that the girdle member 3 will extend upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. When completely folded and stitched, this construction provides a small. recess between the strip 3 and the opposed triangular portion l4'-l6.-|"l', which triangular portion lies between the flaccid part of the breast and the body.

When the brassiere. is worn, this upward slant of'the member 3 causes it to extend transversely to preserve the contour of the breast and. to accommodate lateral? movement. The tab or. flap Ha formed between the slits 6 may be doubled by folding. on the line Nb and turned down and stitched to the. medialportion DE--F-G' of the body encircling element A.

Each breast element. may be formed of a single integral piece of fabric, the blank for which is shown. in Fig. 4. In forming the pocket, the inner half is out along the line 20 shown in Fig. 4 and the edges overlapped and stitched along the lines 2 lto provide a spheroidal portion. The lineZfl is the determining" dimension of the breast receiving pocket. It is the distance between the midline of the body and the midline of the breast. A circleis drawn using this: distance as a radius andiseparating. the circle at the center by a length sufficient to permit: folding'into; a multiple thickness and shaping the semicircles into: hemiconoidalmembers by folding; along radial lines, orby slitting along radial lines and overlapping the edges. This produces a frustoconoidalmember conforming to the breastcontour more truly than a cone or sphere. No. fabricv is. cut away. This contributes to sturdiness in construction, and the multiple thickness across the medial portion adds to comfort and a feeling of support. The outer half of the blank is folded along the lines 22'- 23-24-25 and sewed together to provide a spheroidal portion, completing, the pocket. element. The blank may then be folded. along the dotted lines 26 and 21 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and sewed to provide a medial reinforced portion. The pocket element is then sewed onto the girdlemembers along the dotted lines an '51); shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

' -In' Figs. and 11 is shown a construction of breast member 28 which may be substituted-for that disclosed in the preceding figures. In this form, each'breast member B is elongated to extend around and fasten in the back; The breast element may be made substantially the same as lines 22 and 25. The elongated portion 29 is formed as an integral part of the breast element by' extending the medial portion 33 as shown in Fig.10. This elongated portion '29 provides a fourth girdle whereby the breast member may be adjusted independently of the other strap or girdle members.

The brassiere construction shown in Figs. 12-15, inclusive, has only two girdle members, the upper chest gridle member 33 and the lower waist girdle member 33a. It may be formed from a single integral piece of fabric by folding and stitching. Fig. 12 shows the blank from which the b-rassire is formed. Fig. 13 shows a succeeding stage in the folding and forming operation. Fig. 14 shows a later stage, and Fig. 15 shows the final stage.

As shown in Fig. 12, the fabric is first slitted along the lines 34-36 and 39-46. The lower portion forming the lower girdle member 33a is then folded along the line 4l-42 to provide adouble thickness, as shown in Fig. 13. The upper portions are then folded along the lines 43-44 and 43-44a to assume the position shown in Fig. 13. The upper portions are then folded along the lines 3644b and 4Ei44c to assume the position shown in Fig. 14. The upper members are then folded along the lines 4546 and 4546a to cause them to assume the position shown in Fig. 15. The breast member is then secured in place by stitching 41 along the line 505l --52-- 525I'5il, thus securing each laterally extending portion 48 to each vertically extending portion 49 along the line 5fl5l and securing the superimposed portions from 5| to 5| together to form a four-ply central support or anchorage.

The construction shown in Figs. 16 and 17 is also a two-girdle construction. In this form, the blank is cut and slitted along the lines 53--54 and 55-56, as shown in Fig. 16. The portions 5! and 58 which are to extend laterally, as shown in Fig. 1'7, are creased and folded or pleated along the lines 5659, 56Sfl, 54--5I and 54-62 to cause the portions 57 and 58' to extend laterally to assume the position shown in Fig, 17. The breast members are then stitched to the girdle members and to the central support along the lines 65666l-58, thus securing the superposed plies firmly together to provide a firm central anchorage for the girdles.

In the construction shown in Fig. 15, the upper one of the girdle members comprises two strap members 33b extending laterally from the vertically extending connecting portion 49, the integral connecting members being folded to provide successively a medial portion having an inverted V-shaped upper edge 69-1U'H symmetrical about a vertical axis, two trapezoidal portions 12-131U15 having parallel vertical edges overlying portions of the V-shaped portion, the upper edges l5l0-15 of the trapezoidal portions extending from each other in V-formation.

In the construction of Fig. 17, the girdle means 6 comprise an integral pieceof fabric shaped to provide upper and lower girdle members 51 and 58 and a vertically extending portion connecting the girdle members, each girdle member comprising two strap members extending laterally from the-vertically extending connecting portion 16 to thefolds 11-18-79 at the junction of the two strap members with the vertical member extending substantially at right angles to each "other.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that theinvention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Abrassiere comprising a lower girdle member extending around the body underneath the breasts, an upper girdle member extending around the body above the breasts, two breast pockets secured at their upper edges to the upper girdle member and at their lower edges to the lower girdle membena third girdle member overlying the upper portion of thebreasts, the front portions of said third girdle member lying intermediate the front of said upper and lower girdle members, said third girdle member comprising two strap members, and means for uniting said strap members in front comprising a portion symmetrical about a vertical axis and having downwardly divergingside edges lying between the breast and body. I

. 2. A brassiere comprising girdle means and a pairof breast receivin elements secured thereto,

said girdle means being shaped to provide upper 'andlower girdle members and a verticallyextending portion connecting said girdle members,

one of said girdle members comprising two strap members folded about a diagonal line and extending laterally from said vertically extending connecting portion, the folds at the junction of the two strap members with the vertical member extending substantially at right angles to each other, the upper portions of said breast elements being secured to said upper girdle member and the lower portions of said elements being secured to the lower girdle member.

3. A brassiere comprising girdle means and a pair of breast receiving elements secured thereto, said girdle means being shaped to provide upper and lower girdle members and a vertically extending portion connecting said girdle members, the upper one of said girdle members comprising two strap members extending laterally from said vertically extending connecting portion, said Vertical connecting portion being folded to provide successively a medial portion having an inverted V-shaped upper edge symmetrical about a vertical axis, two trapezoidal portions having parallel vertical edges overlying portions of said V-shaped portion'on opposite sides of the axis of symmetry, the upper edges of said trapezoidal portions extending from each other in V-formation, said straps extending from the upper edges of said two trapezoidal portions, respectively.

4. Abrassire comprising a central supporting portion lying between the breasts, a girdle member secured to said central portion for extending along the upper portions of the breasts and about the body, a second girdle member secured to said central portion for extending beneath the flaccid part of the breasts and about the body, a pair of breast-receiving elements secured to said girdle members, and two partition elements,'one for each breast, each extending laterally from said central supporting portion and lying between the breast part. of the breasts and about the bod-yr a pair of :1

breast-receiving elements secured to, said girdle members, and two partition e ements, one 01 each breast, each extending laterally irom said .central supporting portion and lyin betwee the breasts and bodyand forming with the opposed 7 portion of the upper girdle member arecess into which the breasts extend, said; centifal up o in .rmtion s1opi ev downward y andlatera l on both sides,

76-. A brass e ement ng-a bod porti n; and a pai br ast ei n el men s eure th xetq e ch b e t r c i e el me t q mnris ne fabr s a ed t r i hem q n dal porti ns n w th sid s Q a al med l lane an an e mediate zone portion extending between and along said herniconoidal portions from top to bottom to space and connect them, the apexes of said herniconoidal portions being spaced a substantial distance apart.

7 A brassire comprising a central frontal portion lying between the breasts, two upper bands secured to and extending laterally in opposite directions from said central portion from a position between the breasts, two'lower band portions secured to, and extending laterally in opposite directions from said central portion from a posiien; b tw en th b ast and tw b east-re eivn lemen s .2 n. ea h. de at aid ntra par i e ha i th ir; 912 91? ed es; q e rlapnie an sa d lower hands. nd t eir n er ends secured t sa d e tra Qr iQn,

. A. br tir mpr sing a e al laye flexib m er el lyin e we n the ea s h eat reQe ne e eme e ure t e et n teen i e the ea h W pi g, sid e ge Q S id 2 9 .34 a er and, b in wed. t eto l ne a i e pac d nward y rom. th id e e o said me ial ay r o Pr d a. a e betwee a med l ay r an he pe rt f th amestewiring element o r e i e s de PQP- 21 11 0. 5 the. breast a i d ea in uding a l ter i xi le mat ia e end er e th h fla ci a t 0i each r ast a h br as ree i ee le nt o e n th upp r ed e of said layer and being secured thereto along; a line s aced do n ar ly ro he. 31. 9 3- e l g 9i; ayer t P o i a pa e b tw e id. a e and the app e r ion o e. br te ing el inept to receive the lower portion of the breast.

L A. ISER- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

1,019,537 Sch-wenkler Mar; 5, 1912 1,1,67,992 Guggenheim Jan. 11, 1916 1,753,996 Millman Apr. 8, 1930 1,766,278 Bollwine June 24, 1930 2,121,088 La Rue June 21, 1938 

